Toothbrush-marking machine



Feb. 4, 1930. D. s. DYAS 1,746,229

TOOTHBRUSH MARKING MACHINE Filed July 27. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l /I/I/E/V 7-0/2 J/VVE 0". 21070".

Feb. 4, 1930. s DYAS 1,746,229

TOOTHBRUSH MARKING MACHINE Filed July 27. 1'92? 2 Sheets-Shet 2 J/W f d. 2

Patented Feb. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVE S. DYAS, OF BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO IPAUL WOLF, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA; DAVE F. SMITH AND HENRY G. KKOHN EX- ECUTORS 0F SAID DAVE S. DYAS, DECEASED TOOTI-IBRUSH-MARKING MACHINE Application filedJuly 27,

My invention relates to a tooth brush marking machine and has for its principal object the provision of a relatively simple, practical and easily operated machine that may be conviently employed for marking, by means of indented or impressed characters or lettells, the handles of tooth brushes, and the li e.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a tooth brush marking machine having a rotary die carrier that is capable of being readily manipulated to bring the de sired dies into position to mark the tooth brush handle; further, to provide relatively simple means for firmly supporting a tooth brush or the like upon a sliding base, and, further, to provide simple and convenient means whereby the sliding base that carries the tooth brush is shifted simultaneously with the rotary movement imparted to the die carrier.

With the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan and view of a tooth brush marking machine of my improved con struction.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view looking against the inner face of the means employed for imparting step-by-step movement to the tooth brush carrier.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 77 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical embodiment of mv invention, 10 designates a base plate upon the rear portion of which is mounted a post 11, and mountedto rotate freely upon the upper portion of said post 1s 1827. Serial No. 208,713.

a short sleeve 12 with the lower end of which is formed integral a disc 13, and the latter being provided adjacent to its edge with a circular row of apertures 14 of sufficient size to admit the end of the index finger.

Formed integral with the upper end of sleeve 12 is a disc 15 that is smaller in diameter than disc 13, and arranged to slide freely through aligned apertures in the discs 13 and 15, are the shanks of dies 16, having letters, numerals or other characters formed on their under faces. These dies are square or non-circular in cross section in order that they may retain their proper position in the discs 13 and 15.

Formed on each die immediately beneath the disc 13 is a flange 17 and bearing against the under side thereof is an expansion spring 18, the lower end of which rests on disc 13. Thus the dies are 7 normally retained in elevated positions with the flanges 17 bearing against the under face of disc 15.

For practical purposes, I prefer to utilize at least 26 of the dies 16, one for each letter of the alphabet, and there are the same number of apertures 14 as there are dies. The

' apertures 14 are arranged in the same radial lines with the dies and arranged on the upper face of disc 13 between each aperture and the adjacent die is a letter, numeral or character.

The arrangement of the characters or letters that are marked on the upper face of disc 13 relative to the corresponding characters or letters on the lower end of the dies, is such that when the aperture 14 that is adj acent to a certain letter or character is engaged by the finger and brought around to the front of the machine, the die bearing the corresponding character or letter will be positioned beneath the lever 19 so as to be engaged by the latter when moved downwardly, when the engaged aperture occupies a position slightly to the right of lever 19. In other ,words, the characters appearing on the disc 13 adjacent to the apertures therein, are not directly opposite or adjacent to the dies that bear the corresponding marks or characters, and this ofiset arrangement is necessary in order that the finger used in rotating the die carrier, may, at the end of the rotary move- 3 ment imparted to the die carrier engage and shift a sliding Work carrier as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Pivotally mounted on the upper portion of the post 11 is a lever 19 that normally occupies a substantially horizontal position above the upper ends of the dies and carried by the outer end of this lever is a handle 20.

A spring 21 is arranged between the post 11 and lever 19 and normally supports said lever above the upper ends of the dies. Vhen this lever 19 is moved downward by pressure applied to handle 20, the die that is immediately beneath said lever 19 is engaged thereby and forced downward so as to indent and mark the handle of a tooth brush or the like, is positioned in the machine, and when pressure of the handle 20 is removed spring 21 will elevate the lever 19 to its normal position.

Formed in the upper face of the base 10, in front of post 11, is a transversely arranged inverted T-shaped slot 22, and arranged to slide therethrough is the lower flanged portion of a work carrier, preferably a metal bar 23, that is I-shape in cross section. Projecting laterally from both sides of base 10 are arms 10, and projecting from the ends thereof rearwardly or toward the post 11 are lugs 10 These lugs actas stops to limit the longitudinal movement of the carrier 23 upon the base.

Formed in the top surface of this carrier 23, is a longitudinally disposed groove 24 that is adapted to receive the rounded surface of a tooth brush handle, and formed in the upper face of said carrier between groove 24 and the front edge of said carrier is a series of ratchet teeth 25.

In order to firmly retain the handle of a tooth brush or the like, on top of the support and carrier 23, I arrange two or more inverted U--shaped clamping members 26 on the upper portion of the carrier, the parallel legs of which clamping member extend downward through the flanges at the top of the carrier to the sides of the groove 24, and arranged on said parallel legs benea h the upper flange of said carrier are expansive coil springs 27, the lower ends of which bear against pins 28 that are seated in the lower ends of the parallel legs.

\Vhen these clamping members are drawn upward the handle of the tooth brush or the like may be positioned in the groove 24 on the carrier and retained in such position by the clamping members due to the pressure of the springs 27 associated therewith.

Projecting upwardly from the base 10 in front of the sliding carrier 23 is a post 29, and projecting from the rear face of the upper portion thereof is a horizontally arranged lug 30. The lug projects through a horizontally disposed slot 31 that is formed in a plate the latter being positioned directly against the rear face of post 29 and said plate is retained for sliding movement on said post by a screw 03 that is seated in lug 30, and the head of which screw overlies portions of the plate immediately above and below the slot 31 therein.

The right hand end of sliding plate 312 extends forwardly as designated by 34, and this forwardly extending portion is curved to form a convenient bearing for the end of the index finger that is inserted through one of the apertures in disc 13 for the purpose of rotating the latter. Arranged between the post 29 and the forwardly projecting portion 34% is an expansive coil spring Depending from the left hand end of sliding plate 32 is a short arm 36, which is pivotally connected. to one end of the pawl or hook 37, and the hook thereof engages the ratchet teeth 25.

Projecting forwardly from the right hand end of pawl 37, is a pin 38, which may be engaged to lift the pawl from the ratchet teeth.

To restrain the rotating die carrier against too free movement of the post 11 and to yieldingly hold said die carrier after it has been actuated to bring the proper die into position beneath lever 19, I arrange a short tubular housing 89 on the upper portion of post 11 just above disc 15, and arranged for sliding movement in this tubular housing is a short rod 40 provided on its outer end with a rounded head 41 that is adapted to engage between the upper portions of the dies 16. Arranged within the housing 39 behind the rod 4.0 is an expansive spring 42.

The operation of my improved tooth brush marking machine is as follows:

The handle of a tooth brush is positioned in the groove 24 on top of sliding carrier 23, and said handle is retained in position by the clamping members 26. The free end of pawl 37 is elevated and the sliding carrier 23 is moved toward the right hand until the forward portion of the handle is positioned directly behind post 29.

The operator now inserts the end of the index finger through the aperture 14 in disc 13 that is immediately adjacent to the letter or character that is to be impressed on the handle, and said die carrier is rotated clockwise or toward the right hand until the end of the finger engages the outwardly bent end 34 of plate and continued movement of the finger will slide said plate toward the left hand until said plate is stopped by engagement of the end of the slot 31 against the corresponding end of lug 30.

The operation just described, positions the die bearing the desired letter or character directly beneath the lever 19, and after renoving the finger from the die carrier the handle 20 is engaged and pressed downwardly so that lever 1.9 engages and forces downwardly the die that is imnlediately beneath said lever, with the result that the char actor on the under face of the engaged die will be pressed into the surface of the tooth brush handle. As the handle 20 of the lever is released, spring 21 will elevate said lever to its normal position, and the spring 18 associated with the actuated die will return same to its normal elevated position.

The operations just described are repeated in order to mark the tooth brush handle with the desired letters or characters, and during the latter part of the rotary movement imparted to the die carrier by the finger inserted through one of the apertures 14:, the forward ly projecting end 3% of plate 32 will be engaged and moved a short distance toward the left hand, and as a result of this movement, the pawl 37 that is carried by the sliding plate will, through its engagement with the ratchet teeth move the sliding carrier 23 a short distance toward the left hand, and which distance corresponds with the distance between the characters or letters that are marked on the handle by means of the dies.

The engagement of the rounded head 41 between the upper portions of the dies 16 restrains the rotary die carrier against moving too freely during rotation, and said rounded head being under spring pressure, yieldingly retains the die carrier after it has been shifted into positions to bring the proper die into position beneath the lever.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a tooth brush marking machine that is relatively simple in construction, capable of ready manipulation in carrying out the marking operations, and which is very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved tooth brush handle marking'machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a tooth brush markin machine, a base, a member arranged for sliding movement on said base, means carried by said sliding memberfor receiving and holding the article to be marked, said article holding means being provided with a series of ratchet teeth, a spring held member arranged for sliding movement on the base, a hook carried by said spring held member, which hook is adapted to engage said ratchet teeth, means on the base for limiting the sliding movement of said sliding member in both directions, a die carrier arranged for rotation on the base above the sliding tooth brush holder, at circular row of independently operating springheld dies carried by said carrier, a spring pressed pawl mounted on the base and adapted to engage between a pan of the dies to hold the die carrier against rotary movement and means for engaging and depressing said dies to mark the article carried by said sliding holder.

2. In a tooth brush marking machine, a base, a member arranged for sliding movement on said base, for receiving and supporting the handle of a tooth brush, said tooth brush holding means being provided with a series of ratchet teeth, a spring held member arranged for sliding movement on the base, a ho-oli carried by said spring held member, which hook is adapted to engage said ratchet teeth, means on the base for limiting the sliding movement of said sliding member in both directions, a carrier mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane above the sliding tooth brush holder, a circular row of spring-held cies, carried by the rotary carrier, means for engaging and depressing any one of said dies, and said rotary die carrier being provided with a circular row of finger receiving apertures that are disposed in radial alignment with the dies.

3. In a tooth brush marking machine, a.

base, a carrier mounted for rotary movement in the horizontal plane above said base, a circular row of spring-held dies carried by said rotary carrier, a hand lever for engaging and depressing any one of said springheld dies, a portion of said rotary die carrier being provided with a circular row of apertures that are arranged in radial alignment with said dies, yielding means for restraining the die carrier against rotation, a member arranged for sliding movement upon said base, means on the base for limiting the sliding movement of said member in both directions, spring-held clips on said sliding member for engaging and holding the article to be marked, said sliding member being provided with a row of ratchet teeth, a springheld member arranged for sliding movement on the base, a hook carried by said springheld member, which hook engages the ratchet teeth on said sliding member, and one end of which spring-held sliding member is bent outwardly so as to occupy a position directly below the row of apertures in said die carrier.

4. In a tooth brush marking machine, a base, a member arranged for sliding movement upon said base, spring-held clips on said sliding member for engaging and holding the handle of a tooth brush, a spring-held member mounted for sliding movement on the base, a hook pivotally mounted on said spring-held sliding member, a series of ratchet teeth formed on the sliding member that receives and supports the tooth brush, which ratchet teeth are engaged by said hook, one end of which spring-held sliding member is bent outwardly to form a finger contact plate.

5. In a tooth brush marking machine, a base, a carrier mounted for rotary movement in a horizontal plane above the said base, a.

4 n'ea za circular row of spring held dies carried by said rotary carrier, a hand lever for engaging and depressing any one of said dies, said rotary die carrier being provided With a circular row of apertures, a flange member arranged for sliding movement on said base below the edge of said die carrier, means on the base for limiting the sliding movement of said sliding member in both directions, inverted U-shaped spring-held clips arranged on said flange member for receiving and holding the handle of a tooth brush, saidsliding member being provided with a series of ratchet teeth, a post projecting upwardly from the base adjacent to said sliding member, a spring-held member arranged to slide for a limited distance on said post, and a hook pivotally arranged on said spring-held sliding member, which hook engages the ratchet teeth on the sliding member that receives and holds the handle of a tooth brush.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DAVE S. DYAS. 

